▪️The presidential elections held in Russia on 15-17 March were held under conditions of severe restrictions, aggravated by Russia’s illegal aggressive war against Ukraine.
▪️Russian authorities continue to intensify systematic domestic repression, targeting opposition politicians, civil society organizations, independent media and other critical individuals.
▪️The shocking death of opposition politician Alexei Navalny on the eve of the elections is another sign of the intensifying and systematic nature of repression.
▪️The elections led to an alarming increase in violations of civil and political rights, prevented many candidates from participating in the elections and severely limited their access to reliable information.
▪️The European Union will continue to support the important work of Russian civil society organizations, human rights defenders and independent media.
▪️The European Union regrets the decision of the Russian authorities not to invite observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights to its elections.
▪️In addition, the European Union strongly condemns the illegal holding of so-called “elections” in the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russia: in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, as well as in the areas of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. The so-called “elections” in these territories represent another clear violation by Russia of international law, including the UN Charter, as well as the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
▪️The European Union reiterates that it does not and will never recognize either the holding of these so-called “elections” on the territory of Ukraine or their results. They have no legal force and cannot have any legal consequences.
▪️The European Union reiterates its unwavering support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. Russia must stop its illegal aggressive war against Ukraine and immediately, completely and without imposing conditions, withdraw its troops and equipment from all territory of Ukraine.
